The State of New Hampshire recently renewed its collective bargaining agreement, a move that affects thousands of state employees in various departments. The agreement, which was reached after months of negotiations, is expected to impact the state`s workforce for the next two years.
Under the agreement, state employees will receive a 3% raise in 2021 and a 2% raise in 2022. Additionally, the agreement includes language that covers merit pay increases, as well as provisions that address health care benefits, vacations, and holidays.
The collective bargaining agreement also includes language that addresses the issue of employee layoffs. In the event that layoffs are necessary, the agreement stipulates that employees will be laid off in reverse order of seniority. This ensures that layoffs will be carried out in a fair and transparent manner.
The agreement also includes provisions that aim to address workplace safety concerns. Specifically, the agreement requires that state employees be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure their safety while on the job.
While the collective bargaining agreement represents a significant win for state employees, it also underscores the complex and often contentious nature of labor relations in the public sector. For example, some critics of the agreement have argued that the pay raises are too generous, while others have expressed concerns about the potential for future layoffs.
Regardless of these concerns, the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement represents an important milestone for both state employees and the State of New Hampshire as a whole. By establishing clear guidelines for worker protections, pay raises, and employee layoffs, the agreement helps to create a more stable and predictable work environment for thousands of state employees. Moving forward, it is likely that both labor unions and state officials will continue to work closely together to ensure that the collective bargaining process remains fair and transparent for all parties involved.